2006 VOLVO XC90 winter tires

2006 VOLVO XC90
are used more often. Moreover, the capacity of the battery decreases as \
the temperature drops. In very
cold weather, a poorly charged battery can freeze and be damaged. It is \
therefore advisable to check the
state of charge more frequently and spray an antirust oil on the battery\
posts.
l Volvo recommends the use of snow tires on all four wheels for winter driving - see section "Wheels
and tires."
l To prevent the washer fluid reservoir from freezing, add washer solvents containing antifreeze (see
page 147 for the location of the washer fluid reservoir).
This is important since dirt is often splashed on the windshield during \
winter driving, requiring the
frequent use of the washers and wipers. Volvo Washer Solvent should be d\
iluted as follows:
Down to 14° F (-10° C): 1 part washer solvent and 4 parts water \
Down to 5° F (-15° C): 1 part washer solvent and 3 parts water
Down to 0° F (-18° C): 1 part washer solvent and 2 parts water
Down to -18° F (-28° C): 1 part washer solvent and 1 part water \
l Use Volvo Teflon Lock Spray in the locks.
NOTE: Avoid the use of de-icing sprays as they can cause damage to the locks.
W Winter/Wet driving mode-enhanced vehicle traction
l Mode W will only function if the gear selector is in the (D)rive position.
l Press the button at the base of the gear selector to engage/disengage th\
is driving mode.
l An LED in the button will light up to indicate that W is engaged and thi\
s will also be displayed in the
instrument panel (see
page 22).
l This mode may be selected for starting/moving off on slippery roads.
* Synthetic oil is not used when the oil is changed at the normal mainte\
nance intervals except at owner request and at additional
charge. Please consult your Volvo retailer.

pg. 109 Starting and driving
Before a long distance trip
It is always worthwhile to have your vehicle checked at a Volvo retailer\
before driving long distances.
Your retailer will also be able to supply you with bulbs, fuses, spark p\
lugs and wiper blades for your use
in the event that problems occur.
As a minimum, the following items should be checked before any long trip\
:
l Check that engine runs smoothly and that fuel consumption is normal.
l Check for fuel, oil, and fluid leakage
l Check transmission oil level*.
l Check condition of drive belts.
l Check state of the battery's charge.
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2006 VOLVO XC90
The tires have good road holding characteristics and offer good handling\
on dry and wet surfaces. It
should be noted however that the tires have been developed to give these\
features on snow/ice-free
surfaces.
Certain models are equipped with "all-season" tires, which provide a som\
ewhat higher degree of road
holding on slippery surfaces than tires without the "all-season" rating.\
However, for optimum road
holding on icy or snow-covered roads, we recommend suitable winter tires\
on all four wheels.
When replacing tires, be sure that the new tires are the same size desig\
nation, type (radial) and
preferably from the same manufacturer, on all four wheels. Otherwise the\
re is a risk of altering the car's
roadholding and handling characteristics.
Storing wheels and tires
When storing complete wheels (tires mounted on rims), they should be s\
uspended off the floor or placed
on their sides on the floor.
Tires not mounted on rims should be stored on their sides or standing up\
right, but should not be
suspended.

Tread wear indicator
CAUTION
Tires should preferably be stored in a cool, dry, dark place, and should\
never be stored in close
proximity to solvents, gasoline, oils, etc.
Tread wear indicator
The tires have wear indicator strips running across or parallel to the t\
read. The letters TWI are printed on
the side of the tire. When approximately 1/16" (1.6 mm) is left on the\
tread, these strips become visible
and indicate that the tire should be replaced. Tires with less than 1/16\
" (1.6 mm) tread offer very poor
traction.
When replacing worn tires, it is recommended that the tire be identical \
in type (radial) and size as the
one being replaced. Using a tire of the same make (manufacturer) will \
prevent alteration of the driving
characteristics of the vehicle.
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2006 VOLVO XC90
WARNING!
- The wheel and tire sizes for your Volvo are specified to meet stringen\
t stability and handling
requirements. Unapproved wheel/ tire size combinations can negatively af\
fect your vehicle's stability
and handling. Approved tire sizes are shown in the Tire inflation pressu\
re tables on
page 116.
- Any damage caused by installation of unapproved wheel/tire size combin\
ations will not be covered
by your new vehicle warranty. Volvo assumes no responsibility for death,\
injury, or expenses that
may result from such installations.
pg. 113 Wheels and tires
New tires
Remember that tires are perishable goods. As of 2000, the manufacturing \
week and year will be
indicated with 4 digits (e.g. 1502 means that the tire illustrated was \
manufactured during week 15 of
2002).
Tire age
Tires degrade over time, even when they are not being used, which can af\
fect their reliability and
roadholding characteristics. Therefore, all tires older than 6 years (i\
ncluding the spare tire and winter
tires) should be inspected by a qualified technician, regardless of app\
earance or mileage. Heat caused by
hot climates or frequent high loading conditions can accelerate the agin\
g process.
A tire's age can be determined by the DOT stamp on the sidewall (see th\
e illustration above).
A tire with e.g., visible cracks or discoloration should be replaced imm\
ediately.
Improving tire economy:
l Maintain correct tire pressure. See the tire pressure table on page 116.
l Drive smoothly: avoid fast starts, hard braking and tire screeching.
l Tire wear increases with speed.
l Correct front wheel alignment is very important.
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2006 VOLVO XC90
(contd. on following page)
pg. 118 Wheels and tires
Changing tires
Please note the following when changing or replacing the factory install\
ed TPMS wheels/tires on the
vehicle:
l Only the factory-mounted wheels are equipped with TPMS sensors in the va\
lves.
l If the vehicle is equipped with a temporary spare tire, this tire does n\
ot have a TPMS sensor.
l If winter wheels without TPMS sensors are mounted on the vehicle, TIRE P\
RESS SYST SERVICE
REQUIRED will be displayed each time the vehicle is driven above 25 mph \
(40 km/h) for 10 minutes or
more.
l Once TPMS sensors are properly installed, the warning message should not\
reappear.
l Volvo recommends that TPMS sensors be fitted on all wheels used on the v\
ehicle. Volvo does not
recommend moving sensors back and forth between sets of wheels.
CAUTION
When inflating tires with TPMS valves, press the pump's mouthpiece strai\
ght onto the valve to help
avoid bending or otherwise damaging the valve.
WARNING!
Incorrect inflation pressure could lead to tire failure, resulting in a \
loss of control of the
vehicle.
pg. 119 Wheels and tires
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2006 VOLVO XC90
pg. 123 Wheels and tires
Snow chains, snow tire, studded tires
Snow chains
Snow chains can be used on your Volvo with the following restrictions:
l Snow chains should be installed on front wheels only. Use only Volvo app\
roved snow chains.
l If accessory, aftermarket or "custom" tires and wheels are installed and\
are of a size different than the
original tires and wheels, chains in some cases CANNOT be used. Sufficie\
nt clearances between chains
and brakes, suspension and body components must be maintained.
l Some strap-on type chains will interfere with brake components and there\
fore CANNOT be used.
l All Wheel Drive models: Snow chains should only be installed on the fron\
t wheels. Only chains
adapted for AWD models should be used.
NOTE: Consult your Volvo retailer for additional snow chain information.
CAUTION
- Check local regulations regarding the use of snow chains before instal\
ling.
- Always follow the chain manufacturer's installation instructions caref\
ully. Install chains as tightly as
possible and retighten periodically.
- Never exceed the chain manufacturer's specified maximum speed limit. (\
Under no circumstances
should you exceed 31 mph 50 km/h)
- Avoid bumps, holes or sharp turns when driving with snow chains.
- The handling of the vehicle can be adversely affected when driving wit\
h chains. Avoid fast or sharp
turns as well as locked wheel braking.
Snow tires, studded tires
1
Tires for winter use:
- Owners who live in or regularly commute through areas with sustained p\
eriods of snow or icy driving
conditions are strongly advised to fit suitable winter tires to help ret\
ain the highest degree of traction.
- It is important to install winter tires on all four wheels to help ret\
ain traction during cornering, braking,
and accelerating. Failure to do so could reduce traction to an unsafe le\
vel or adversely affect handling.
- Do not mix tires of different design as this could also negatively aff\
ect overall tire road grip.
- Winter tires wear more quickly on dry roads in warm weather. They shou\
ld be removed when the
winter driving season has ended.
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2006 VOLVO XC90
- Studded tires should be run-in 300-600 miles (500-1000 km) during wh\
ich the car should be driven as
smoothly as possible to give the studs the opportunity to seat properly \
in the tires. The tires should have
the same rotational direction throughout their entire lifetime.
NOTE: Please consult state or provincial regulations restricting the use of st\
udded winter tires before
installing such tires.
1. Where permitted
pg. 124 Wheels and tires
Temporary Spare
The spare tire in your car is called a "Temporary Spare".
Recommended tire pressure (see the placard on the B-pillar or on the fu\
el filler door) should be
maintained irrespective of which position on the car the temporary spare\
tire is used on. In the event of
damage to this tire, a new one can be purchased from your Volvo retailer\
.
WARNING!
! Current legislation prohibits the use of the "Temporary Spare" tire ot\
her than as a temporary
replacement for a punctured tire. It must be replaced as soon as possibl\
e by a standard tire. Road
holding and handling may be affected with the "Temporary Spare" in use. \
Do not exceed 50 mph (80
km/h). Do not drive farther than 50 miles (80 km) on a temporary spar\
e tire.
CAUTION:
The car must not be driven with wheels of different dimensions or with a\
spare tire other than the one
that came with the car. The use of different size wheels can seriously d\
amage your car's transmission.
pg. 125 Wheels and tires
Changing wheels
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